Concentrating mechanism



Aug. 26, 1930. M. J. LIDE 1,773,911

CONCENTRATING MECHANISM Filed March 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MART/N J. L 10:2.

Aug. 26, 1930- MQJ. LIDE CONCENTRATING MECHANISM Filed March 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MVIIVfl/IIIV/l c Q Q If 9 Patented Aug. 26, 1930 lhI IARTIN LIDE, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

couonnnm'rma MECHANISM a I Application filed March 10, 1926. .Serial No. 93,605.

My invention relatesto a concentrating mechanism of'the type in which a table is employed, to which table is imparted vertical motion and oscillatory motion longitudinally and/or laterally by Vmy improved type of mechanism.

The. principal object of my invention is the provision of a novel type of electrical vibratory mechanism to impart short high,

frequency vibrations to the oscillating table,

the electrical vibrators being preferably incorporated in the leg supports for the table. In this connection I propose to use springs for holding the legs in contact with their supp I m c.

My invention further comprises thevnovel details of construction and arrangements of Fig. 3 shows partly in sideelevation and partly in section one of the magnetic vibrators.

Fig. 4 shows partly in end elevation and partly in cross section one of the magnetic vibrators. Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. I Referring to the drawings,"I illustrate a table 1, preferably vhaving aforaminousfsurface, mounted upon a suitable metallic frame work 61, to which tablethe riiaterialto be concentratedis delivered; This table issupported byv four oscillatory legs 4,11, 14 and 16, which are preferably disposed near the four corners of a quadrilateral formed by the end frame members and transverse bottom 60 brace members.

The bottom end of each of the legs is pro-, vided with areduced convex end 8 mounted loosely free to rock universally on a plate 9 in a square bottom socket 10. This construction provides for the slight oscillatory play required for the legs to follow the table movements. a i

The actuating mechanism for oscillating the table comprises suitably driven cam rollers 31each carried by a bell crank rocker 32, journaled on a shaft33 and having an upright arm 34 having slidably mounted thereon a slide block 35 vertically adjustable by means of a screw 36. This slide block is con? nected by a ball joint 37 to a thrust rod 38 which in turn is suitably connected to the center ofthe table. As will be seen,'th e two cam rollers 31 and their associated connections are at right angles to each other, thereby servingto impart oscillatory motion to the table in two directions.

The shaft 33 for each of the rockers is projected beyond its bearings 49 and has connected'thereto a U-bolt 51 which at its outer end is connected to a bar 52 through the center of which is an opening for a rod54 which at its outer end carries a seat 55 for a coil spring 56 interposed between the seat 53 and plate 52. The rod 54 at its other end is suitably connected to the center portion of the table. I thus provide for each actuating mechanism table returning spring rigs. I I

In-the operation of the table as thus far described, upon starting up the. drive, the end and side cams 30 will act upon theirrespective end and side rockers to impart in conjunction with their respective opposing springs both longitudinal and lateral oscillations to the table.

,Air is delivered to the fan 66. through a pipe 67 which leads upwardly and is connected' to a collecting hood 68 conforming in shapeto and overhanging the table 60. A series of curtains 69 can be dropped from the edges of the hood 68 and thus serve to close andto regulate the opening between the hood and the table. The blower is driven by a pulley 70.

In Figs. 2 to 4 I illustrate more preferred mechanism for imparting vertical clearly the V vibrations to the oscillating table. In Fig. 2 I show a com lete set of tubular table legs which are num ered 4, 11, 14 and 16, in which the upper end of each leg is threaded and screwed into a frame 9 1 through which the upper end of the pipe projects to form a guide for a coil spring which at its base rests upon a seat 96 on the block and at its upper end bears against a seat 97 preferably on an upper non-magnetic bar 98. This upper bar is connected preferably to the lower nonma etic frame 94 by means of bolts 99 which pass loosely through the upper bar 98 and through preferably non-magnetic cores 101 for the magnetic coils that are carried by the lower frame 94. The nuts 102 are secured on the top of each bolt 99 and are normally Spaced from the top of the bar 98. The under face of this bar 98 carries an upper anvil member 103 for each magnet which is adapted to be engaged by a lower anvil member 104 on top of the cores 101. The s rings 95 normally hold the anvils 103 and 1 4' separated and when the magnets 101 are energized the upper bar is drawn down, causing the anvils to engage and this upper bar is connected b the universal joint members 17 and 18 to t e table. The laminations 105 forming part of the magnetic circuit of the ma ets are bolted to each side of each bar 98 a means of bolts 106 which engage clamp plates 107. To each side of the lower frame 94 I attach laminations 108 which cover each side of the frame and have vertical extensions which pass up on each side of the cores 101. These laminations form the magnetic core for the magnets and complete the circuit. They are held in place between outer clamp plates 109 by bolts 110 below and by screws 111 which connect them to the cores 101.

In order to prevent the legs from jumping out of their sockets 9, due to the vertical vibrations imparted to the table, I connect the legs in pairs b suitable cross members, such as the channe s 112, and l mount above the center of each pair of channels a spring seat 113 which is engaged by a coil spring 114 engaged overhead by a spring seat 1.15 which is connected by a rod 116 to the eye 117 on a plate 118 anchored to the floor. This arrangement permits free play for the legs and also vertical vibrations but will hold the legs down in their socket bearings.

In Fig. 2 I also show one means for wiring the magnets to vibrate the table. In this view I show an A. C. enerator 119 as having one lead 120 connected in multiple to magnet coils through which the current flows in series and returns by wire 121 to the generator.

In action the low frequency cycle A. C. generator will energize the magnets the desired number of times per minute, and when the magnets are ener ized the table is drawn down until the anvils engage, this motion compressing the springs 95. As soon as the magnets are de-energized the springs throw the table upwardly until the blocks engage the nuts 102 on the bolts 99, which thus serve as upper stops for the table. By such means the table will have imparted to it vertical vibrations of the desired frequency while it is being oscillated longitudinally and/or laterally, and while the material thereon is being floated on an air current. All of these agencies which co-act towards the concentration of the material on the table can be regulated to produce the desired effect Though I have described with great particularity the details of the embodiment of the invention h ercin shown, it not to be construed that I am limited thereto, as changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. A concentrating mechanism comprising a table, means to oscillate the table, rocking leg supports for the table, and an electromagnetic vibrator in each leg.

2. A concentrating mechanism comprising a table, means to oscillate the table, rocking leg supports for the table, an electro-magnetic vibrator in each leg, and yieldable hold-down means for the legs.

3. A concentrating mechanism comprising a table, means to oscillate it, rocking leg supports for the table, each leg comprising axially movable elements, an electro-magnet and spring means to produce an axial vibration between parts of the leg, universal joints connecting the upper ends of the legs to the table, rocker bearings for the lower ends of said legs, and spring means to hold the legs in said bearings, substantially as described.

4. A concentrating mechanism comprising a table, means to oscillate the table, rocking leg supports for the table, each support comprising a bottom socket, a leg adapted to rock in said socket, a spring supported element mounted on the top of said leg, a universal joint connecting said element to the table, electro-magnetic means to vibrate said elements against the action of said spring, and spring means to hold down the legs in said sockets.

5. A concentrating mechanism according to claim 4, in which the hold-downs comprise cross brace means connecting adjacent legs, a spring engaging each cross brace means, and a rocking compression element connecting each spring to a floor su oport.

6. A concentrating mechanism comprising a table, means to oscillate the table, rocking corner supports for the table, each support carrying an upper magnet and spring seat an armature for the magnet mounted on said 

